Inside The Bills

At the bottom of the first hour, we were joined by tight end Lee Smith. Smith discussed the long training camp this year and how it’s helped build team chemistry and how they’ve become a “tight-knit” group because of it. He weighed in on the rest of the players in his unit and even though each of them plays the same position, he did say he’s ok with being labeled as the “blocking” tight end in the group.

“I’ve been dreaming of playing in this league since I was a little kid. To be labeled as the blocking tight end, I take pride in that. If I can be that sixth offensive lineman and get in there and grind with those big boys, that’s something I take a lot of pride in and I enjoy it. If I had to run around on a tennis court all day, I wouldn’t like it too much. Getting in there with the hogs and grinding, that’s a lot of fun.”

Smith also discussed his excitement for returning to Ralph Wilson Stadium after three straight road games.

“It’s going to feel different being back at the Ralph. They’ve done a lot of things over there and it’s going to be a great atmosphere. Playing in this league is awesome regardless of where you’re playing but there’s nothing like playing at Ralph Wilson Stadium. I tell people all the time, it’s the best place in the league to play and we’re fired up and we’re ready to give these fans something to shout about.”

At the top of the hour, Grantland contributing writer Bill Barnwell joined us to talk about his recent article on the site regarding the fastest teams in the NFL. He had the Bills ranked fourth in the league. “need for speed” He worked with player 40-times when it comes to skill positions like wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends. Defensively, the majority were from the defensive backfield. Even though these teams are ranked atop when it comes to overall speed, they may not be the most productive.

“Those teams have some fast players. They have some good offensive players but they are not among the better offenses in football but meanwhile the older teams in the league and the slower teams in the league rated at some of the best offenses in football. New England, Chicago, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Denver, those are teams that rated out as pretty slow against the average.”

Finally, we were joined by the Executive Director of Independent Health Foundation, Carrie Meyer. Meyer joined the show to talk about the upcoming Kids Day at Ralph Wilson Stadium sponsored by Independent Health as the Bills open the home portion of their preseason schedule. Meyer discussed their sponsorship with the Bills when it comes to the Kids Fitness Challenge and the NFL Play60 initiative. Meyer explained Saturday at the stadium will feature games for those in attendance that will involve smart decision making when it comes to healthy choices. She also touched on the atmosphere they expect when the kids invade the Ralph and encourages parents to attend the game with their children.

To hear more from Meyer and the rest of The John Murphy Show, click below.